Grateful Character

We don't have to do it all, all of the time, we just have to take small steps. Take just a minute and look at all there is to be thankful for. Recently Bishop Drean asked the children in Primary to find 10 things each night to be thankful for when they said their prayers. Each of us should follow this advise. All of us have burdens, sorrows, worries and trials that we are going thru, but taking a minute each day to look for the good sure makes life brighter. And looking at the good things in life builds up a grateful Character. May your Thanksgiving time be one of joy and happiness.

Physical

With the cooler weather we now will need to exercise more indoors or at the gym. However, walking in the cooler air will help to speed up your metabolism and burn more calories. Let's get out and enjoy the cooler temperatures and go for a walk. How are you doing? Did you set a goal and are you keeping it?

Mold Your Character

"God uses your faith to mold your character. Character is the manifestation of what you are becoming. Strong moral character results from consistent correct choices in the trials and testing of life. Your faith can guide you to those correct choices. Clearly, it is what you do and what you think about that determine what you are and what you will become. Therefore, the choices you make need to be inspired by the Lord. You need to ponder, pray, and exercise faith to willingly make choices consistent with the teachings of the Master."
Elder Richard G. Scott
Remember, "We Have a Work to Do." One small step for womankind, one giant leap for eternity. Jeanette

PHYSICAL

DARK CHOCOLATE GOOD FOR THE HEART

Eating small amounts of dark choclate every day can reduce the inflammation that leads to heart disease, according to the study published last month in The Journal of Nutrition. Researchers at Catholic University in Campobasso, Italy, and the National Cancer Institute of Milan found that people who eat dark chocolate regularly have lower levels of C-reactive protein in their blood, an indication of low levels of inflammation.
But just how much dark chocolate can you get away with eating? Only about 0.23 ounces per day -- or one typical-sized Hershey bar over the couse of six days.
And sorry, milk chocolate lovers, only dark chocolate appears to have these heart healthy benefits.

Just thought you might like to know. I guess I'm eating too much of it myself.

CHARACTER: Righteous character is what you are becoming. The more your character is fortified, the more enabled you are to exercise the power of faith for yet stronger character.

Physical

Hello Sisters,
Are you getting into shape? Are you eating health? Have you set a goal to excerise and lose weight? Now is the time to do it and to feel good about yourself. Today is a good day to start.

The Cedar Bench Ward Relief Society - Pursuit of Excellence

The Pursuit of Excellence is an achievement challenge designed to help each participant develop a Christ-like life of love and service. Accomplishing this objective requires a diligent and serious effort in all aspects of life-spiritual, intellectual, social, and physical.
We live in a society that frantically rushes from place to place, consuming more of the world’s goods each day. Perhaps we should ask ourselves not what we hope to get out of life, but what we are willing to give. We, as sisters in the Cedar Bench Relief Society can and must, as President Hinckley exhorted us: “reach out in kindness and love, to those in distress and to those who are wandering in darkness and pain. It is a time to be considerate and good, decent and courteous toward one another in all of our relationships. We have work to do. Let us get at it with a new commitment, putting our trust in the Lord. We can do it, if we will be prayerful and faithful. We can do better than we have ever done before.” This is our goal, as sisters in the Cedar Bench Relief Society: that we will reach out to one another and help each other, to learn from one another, gain new friendships as we work together on common goals and values inspiring self-improvement. The world’s ways may be prevalent in our society, but we can prevail. We must stand on “higher ground” and be a “light for the world”.

The Pursuit of Excellence includes five areas of personal improvement:

· Spiritual,
· Intellectual
· Service
· Physical
· Character.

We would like to challenge each of you to select a goal, either one that is listed or one of your choice, in each of these areas to work on in the next few months. Let us strive as sisters to “try a little harder, to be a little better.”

Spiritual Challenges

"Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask and ye shall receive; knock and it shall be opened unto you," (D&C 88:63)

Continually strive to have a closer relationship with our Heavenly Father through seeking greater spirituality personally and in our homes and families.

Choose one of the following goals or select one of your own.

· Increase personal spirituality.

*Temple attendance weekly/monthly.
*Fast and pray.
*Ask the Lord in prayer daily to draw near unto Him.
*Read scriptures daily.
*Look for opportunities to serve others.
*Write in a journal regularly.

· Increase spirituality in home and family.

*Limit TV time. Encourage other worthwhile activities.
*Clear schedule to increase more time with family: family dinner, family night, and family prayer.
*Play beautiful music in home to invite the spirit to dwell.
*Read scriptures regularly with family.
*Read scriptures daily with spouse.
*Pray with spouse daily.
*Encourage kindness/positive attitude in home with family members.
*Priesthood presence in home.

Goal:

Character Challenges

“Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud.” “He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good; and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.” “The wise in heart shall be called prudent; and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.” “Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it; but the instruction of fools is folly.” Proverbs 16: 19-22

Choose one of the following goals or select one of your own.

· Evaluate an area in your life where you are not setting a good example.

· Evaluate an area that maybe no one but you and the Lord know about and see how you can improve it/stop doing it/start doing it.

· Smile at a minimum of 10 people each day that you don't know.

· When someone is about to share a piece of gossip with you simply state that you would rather not hear it and suggest you talk about something else.

· Remind yourself at least 3 times each day of the promise you made with the Lord at baptism or in the temple.

· Apologize for something that has been bothering you, even if it has been years.

· Willingly accept an assignment, complete it willingly.

· When there is contention in your home (even when you’re a part of it), choose to break the tension by busting into song. (If you can't carry a tone it doesn't matter)

· Try to get to know someone at work/school/neighborhood that you usually avoid.

· Take a few minutes each day just to reflect on the fact that God loves YOU.

Goal:

Intellectual Challenges

“Seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning even by study and also by faith” (D&C 88:118)

Select one of the following goals or choose one of your own. Be specific. Make it doable. Modify as needed. Don’t give up.
Examples/Ideas:

• Read 3 “good” books
• Take a clas
• Attend a cultural event such as a symphony, opera or a play
• Develop a new interest such as poetry, dance, photography
• Develop a hobby such as coin collecting, astronomy, woodworking
• Help a scout earn a merit badge of interest to both of you
• Learn about an exciting place and travel there, (it doesn’t have to be far
• Play classical music during dinner. Teach your family about the piece and the composer
  
  “There are few things more pathetic than those who have lost their curiosity and sense of adventure, and who no longer care to learn.” Gordon B Hinckley
  

Goal:

Service Challenges

“When ye are in service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” (Mosiah 2:17)

Select one of the following goals or choose one of your own.

• Send letters and/or a box to each current ward missionary or serviceman or contribute toward the financial support of a full-time missionary.
• 100% Visiting Teaching
• Help someone in need by providing them with a meal, babysitting, yard work, house work, etc.
• Fellowship new members of the ward or new church members
• Adopt a friend/grandparent at a nursing home to consistently visit with, read to, etc. This is a good one to get you children/family/pets involved with.
• Get involved with a local humanitarian foundation or organization (a list of some of these will be available on the RS website-cedarbenchrs.blogspot.com
• Help with a community cleanup project or volunteer to coach for a city athletic program
• Volunteer to help with an Eagle project
• Become involved with a holiday program-Sub for Santa, Angel Tree, Toys for Tots, etc. or adopt a family in need for the 12 Days of Christmas
  Become a member of the OWL club, (contact Jennifer Dickson 479-5169 for more information)

Goal:

Physical Challenges

“Cease to be idle, cease to be unclean…cease to sleep longer than is needful, retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.” (D&C 88:124)

Be physically fit so that you may be prepared for any challenges you may have in your life.If you improve your personal attractiveness you will feel good and have a greater outlook on life.

Select one of the following goals or choose one of your own. Be specific. Make it do-able. Modify as needed. Don’t give up.

Examples/Ideas:

• Exercise your body (to get into shape and lose weight)
• Exercise your mind (read good books and the scriptures)
• Eat properly (Word of Wisdom)
• Encourage each other and help your family to do the same.
• Make attainable goals and write them down.

Goal:

Motivational Quotes:

"To be a righteous woman is a glorious thing in any age. To be a righteous woman during the winding-up scenes on this earth, before the second coming of our Savior, is an especially noble calling. The righteous woman's strength and influence today can be tenfold what it might be in more tranquil times….Other institutions in society may falter and even fail, but the righteous woman can help save the home which may be the last and only sanctuary some mortals know in the midst of storm and strife.” Spencer W. Kimball

“We hope to be gentle and kind, modest and truthful, to be full of faith and integrity, . . . [for] goodness sheds a halo of loveliness around every person who possesses it, making their countenances beam with light, and their society desirable because of its excellency." Brigham Young

“The issue is not what we have done, but what we have become, and what we have become is the result of more than our actions. It is also the result of our attitudes, our motives, and our desires. Each of these is an ingredient of the pure heart.” Dallin H. Oaks

“Service adds to our character. The more we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls. We become more significant individuals as we serve others. Indeed, it is easier to find ourselves because there is so much more of us to find.” Spencer W. Kimball

There is no end to the good we can do, to the influence we can have with others. Let us not dwell on the critical or the negative. Let us pray for strength; let us pray for capacity and desire to assist others. Let us radiate the light of the gospel at all times and all places, that the Spirit of the Redeemer may radiate from us." Gordon B. Hinckley